Dyskenesis
by ElegantButler
Summary: A deadly plague has hit the city, and Bryce is one of it's victims.
1. Chapter 1

MAX HEADROOM: 20 MINUTES INTO THE FUTURE

DYSKENESIS

"What's on the agenda for today?" Edison asked Murray as he walked into the control room.

"No story right now," Murray remarked. "We got news of a new disease, but until we know more I think we're just going to let Markus and his controller handle it."

"Sounds good to me," Edison said, knowing about Murray's discomfort around hospitals. "Does that mean I get the day off?"

"No," Murray said. "You can have the morning, but I want you back here in an hour."

"What am I supposed to do with an hour?" Edison asked.

"Go bother Bryce," Murray suggested. "You'll probably come back with a ton of new information. I doubt any of it will be useful, though."

"Murray," Theora chided. "Bryce is very intelligent."

"I think he means most of our viewers are as smart as he is," Edison explained.

"Pocket money," Murray warned.

"Okay, okay," Edison laughed. "I get the message. I'll go and see what he's up to."

Edison had barely got off the left at Level 13 when he heard Max calling for help. Rushing to the sound, he saw Max in his transport box crying out in a near panic. And with good reason.

Bryce was on the floor in the middle of a full-blown seizure.

Edison ran over to the stricken genius and restrained him, carefully. He held onto Bryce until he felt the boy's shaking and thrashing subside. Then he looked at him carefully. There was no sign of brain damage; both pupils were even and properly dilated for the amount of light in the room.

And there was no sign that he'd had a stroke.

Edison wondered if Bryce's attack was in any way related to the new sickness Murray had mentioned. Or was the young genius afflicted with something else. He had read through Bryce's personal file before and there had been no mention of epilepsy or any other brain disorder.

So what the hell had just happened?

"Bryce?" He asked. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Bryce wiped a little drool from the corner of his mouth and shook his head.

"I'm okay, now," he said.

"Bryce, you just had a bad seizure," Edison pointed out. "You're far from okay. When's the last time you had an exam?"

"Not long ago," Bryce told him. "The doctor says I'm fine. I just… I…"

"Bryce?" Edison asked. "What…"

Bryce began to twitch again, erupting into a second seizure.

Edison caught him as he fell, holding him as he thrashed about, making sure he did not get hurt.

Eventually, the seizure calmed, but Bryce did not stop twitching. His arms jerked spasmodically as he lay unconscious in Edison's arms, his head lolled to one side, eyes closed, breathing erratically.

Edison carried Bryce over to the bed. Then he called for an ambulance, certain this was beyond the scope of the Network Physician.

The vu-phone sounded just after he was finished.

Edison clicked the answer button. "Murray. Bryce is sick. I don't know what's wrong, but I'm staying with him until the ambulance arrives."

"Ambulance," Murray repeated. "Is it really that bad?"

"He just had two seizures in the span of five minutes, Murray." Edison said. "He's unconscious at the moment. I just hope…"

Theora walked in at that point and Edison fell silent.

"You hope what?" She asked. Seeing the troubled look on Edison's face she asked. "What's wrong?"

"Bryce isn't feeling well," Murray supplied. "We were just hoping he gets better."

It was true, if not understated.

"So do I," Theora said.

Before Edison could disconnect the call, the paramedics arrived.

Noticing this, Theora turned to Murray, her eyes boring into him.

"Okay, Murray. What's wrong with Bryce?"


	2. Chapter 2

MAX HEADROOM: 20 MINUTES INTO THE FUTURE

DYSKENESIS 02

Murray turned to Theora.

"Stay connected to Edison," he said, deciding he'd rather let Edison deal with telling her. "Keep me updated. I'm going to let Cheviot know what's going on."

As soon as he left, Theora turned to her Control Screen.

"Edison," she asked, "what's happened?"

"Bryce just had a pair of seizures in less than ten minutes," Edison told her as he and the paramedics arrived at the ambulance.

Once Edison was convinced that Bryce was in good hands, he ran back inside and took the lift to the helipad. There was a hospital with a helipad, but it had filled up recently with victims of the disease that Markus was covering. Martinez was going to have to land 3 miles away from the one that Bryce was being taken to.

The vu-phone sounded in Murray's office. Murray stepped in and closed the door as soon as he saw Cheviot's face.

"Murray, where's Carter?"

"At the hospital," Murray said, quickly adding. "He's fine," when he saw the look of alarm on his boss's face.

He was about to explain about Bryce, when Cheviot spoke up again.

"Since he's okay, tell him to come back in right away. I want him to cover the emergency tel-election."

"Sir, that might be a problem," Murray began.

"I'm sure whatever he's doing right now can be set aside until after this afternoon's tel-election."

"Has Peller been impeached? Last I knew…"

Cheviot's face darkened. "Simon Peller died not ten minutes ago."

Murray frowned as well. "How?"

"We don't know the exact cause yet," Cheviot admitted. "I was talking to him about a speech he was going to give when he went into a seizure. We called for help, but by the time anyone arrived, he was already dead."

Murray's eyes found the floor at this statement.

Cheviot frowned at this, knowing it wasn't Peller Murray was concerned about.

"What's happened?"

"Bryce Lynch had a pair of seizures not too long ago," he explained. "Edison went with him to the medical center."

"I see," Cheviot said. "I want a report as soon as you hear anything. No matter what."

"I'll keep you informed." Murray said. "I'll have Jordan cover the tel-election. At least until Edison returns from the hospital. You know Carter won't leave Bryce's side until he has to."

Cheviot nodded. "Jordan can cover the pre-election interviews." he said. "But I want Carter to cover the main event. Visiting hours should be over by then."


	3. Chapter 3

MAX HEADROOM - 20 MINUTES INTO THE FUTURE

Dyskenesis 03

"Mr. Carter," an intern said, putting her hand on his shoulder to wake him as gently as she could. He had been at Bryce's bedside for the entire day and had fallen asleep about an hour ago.

Edison opened his eyes. "Hm?"

"Visiting hours are over, sir," the intern said, apologetically. "I'm afraid you'll have to leave. We'll call you if he wakes up."

Edison stood up, reluctantly, and picked up the vidicam from the floor, checking to make sure it wasn't broken. Satisfied that it was in good condition, he spoke. "Control?"

"It's about time you woke up," Theora laughed. "You snore louder than a riding lawnmower."

"I do not snore, Miss Jones," Edison pointed out.

"Yes, you do," another female voice called out over the link.

"Very loudly," added a third.

Edison recognized them both as fellow reporter Janie Crane and controller Angie Bari.

"Miss Crane and Miss Bari, I will have you know…"

"You need to get back here on the double, Edison," Murray cut in. "Cheviot is furious. If you hurry up, he may only have them cut off one testicle. You were supposed to cover the telection two hours ago."

"And none of you tried to wake me?"

"We did try, but you didn't answer."

"The camera was out of audio range."

"You dropped it."

"It was right at my feet. No one stole it."

"Just get back here pronto, Edison." Murray said.

"Right," Edison said, heading outside.

He was on his way back to the Network when he spotted the pink Big Time TV minibus. Not in any hurry to be chewed out by the boss, he knocked on the door.

"Oh, hello," Reg said, morosely. "Fang and I aren't having guests for a few days. Lots of deaths in the Fringes over the last few days."

Including Dominique, Edison guessed, but did not say.

"I'm sorry, Reg," Edison apologized. "Was it the seizure plague?"

"Someone you know also died from it?"

"Simon Peller died from it earlier today," Edison said.

"Can't say I'm sorry to hear that," Reg admitted.

"Bryce also suffered seizures. But for some reason, he hasn't died. At least not yet."

"I hope he'll be alright," Reg said. "Though if this sickness causes brain damage, he might be better off dead."

"I can only hope that he pulls through it without any brain damage," Edison said. "At this point, we don't even know exactly what it does. Who else besides Dom?"

"Frances," Reg said. "I took Mink to stay with Blank Bruno, Rik's bodyguard, Grace, was also struck down as was that very nice metrocop.. the one who ignored the printing press."

"Shame, he was a nice guy. What about Breughal and Mahler?"

"They're both doing just dandy, thank you," Reg grumbled.

"Well, that rules out a contagion.. If it was, either or both of them would have caught it by now."

"Assuming they're not immune," Reg pointed out.

Edison shook his head, doubting that this was the case.

"You'd better get home, Edison," Reg told him. "I'll keep in touch and let you know if anything ese happens."

Edison nodded, made a departing apology, and left.


	4. Chapter 4

Dyskenesis

Chapter 04

"Sir…" Edison began.

Cheviot held his hand up. "I'm sure you were told to be back here to cover the telelection."

"I think Bryce is more important than some minor politician." Edison pointed out.

"Bryce was more important when he had a working brain," Cheviot said, darkly.

"Bryce is only unconscious. He's not brain-dead." Edison argued.

"When I asked about Peller's death, the doctors explained to me that the disease causes the brain to misfire. I asked if this affected thought patterns, and he said it most likely would. So he might not be brain-dead, but he's as good as. And until he wakes up and proves me wrong, he

is no longer an employee of this network."

"Excuse me," Edison turned toward the door.

"Where are you going, Mr. Carter?"

"If Bryce no longer works for you, Mr. Cheviot, then neither do I."

Edison disconnected the vu-phone before Cheviot could reply. Then he left the medical center

and headed back to his apartment.

Cheviot was mad enough to kick babies and throw puppies. Didn't Edison understand? Even if Bryce did survive this sickness, he was most likely to wind up as little more than a vegetable. He would never fully comprehend all that Edison was sacrificing for him. Edison might as well be giving everything up for a turnip.

Edison. His best reporter. The man whose reports had put Network 23 on the top of the ratings food-chain. The man was the network's greatest asset, and now he was casting aside the Network he had helped forge for the sake of some practically brain-dead kid who in a few days time would probably be placed in an institution to spend the rest of his existence. If he wasn't so far gone that euthanasia was preferable.

Cheviot kicked the water cooler as he went to get a cooling drink He hated days like this one. Edison was probably off at the ouzo bar bad-mouthing him to anyone who cared to listen. Telling them that he wanted to murder Bryce just because he wasn't smart enough. That wasn't true! Cheviot did have a heart! He like Bryce as much as the next guy. He didn't want to see the boy killed for no reason. Or for some stupid reason. But without his magnificent intelligence, and without street-skills, the boy would not last on his own. Didn't Edison see that? Bryce was proud of his mind, and would never want to spend his days suffering the embarrassment of being a mere vegetable.

But Edison believed more than just the opposite of that. He believed the impossible. He believed that Bryce would wake up and be perfectly normal. As if the brain-debilitating disease would have no lasting effect on him.

As far as Cheviot was concerned, Edison was waiting for a miracle that would never happen.


End file.
